TROPIC THUNDER TRACKED WITH BOUJOU

Computer-generated images integrated seamlessly with live action despite demanding filming conditions

13 October 2008, Oxford, UK: 2d3, a leading developer of visual effects software and part of the Oxford Metrics Group, has revealed today that it's boujou match-moving technology enabled one of Canada's foremost visual effects companies, CIS Vancouver to create a series of realistic computer-generated shots for the recently released comedy film Tropic Thunder.

Ben Stiller, Jack Black and Robert Downey Jr. lead an ensemble cast in DreamWorks Pictures' Tropic Thunder, an action comedy about a group of self-absorbed actors who set out to make the biggest war film ever. After ballooning costs (and the out of control egos of the pampered cast) threaten to shut down the movie, the frustrated director refuses to stop shooting, leading his cast deep into the jungles of Southeast Asia for "increased realism," where they inadvertently encounter real bad guys.

With so many variations in background light and shade, plus a lot of movement from plants and other elements of the background, filming on location in the jungle wasn't easy. But Mark Breakspear, visual effects supervisor at CIS Vancouver, was impressed with how brilliantly boujou tracked the trickiest moving objects.

"There were around 110 shots that required tracking," Breakspear said. "There was one shot in particular with Robert Downey Jr. coming in via helicopter and it crashes. The final edit looks seamless. boujou has always been my weapon of choice, it doesn't disappoint, and delivers every time."

Despite the demanding conditions of the environment in which the movie was shot - lots of moving background detail - boujou was more than a match for film-makers' requirements.

Breakspear adds "There wasn't a single shot that wasn't suffering from the windy conditions - it looked like it was going to be nearly impossible to integrate our CG elements. Initially we'd assumed, because the gusting wind was so bad, it would all have to be hand tracked, but boujou didn't have a problem. I still don't quite understand how boujou managed it, I'm assuming a brilliant matchmove team at CIS Vancouver combined with some fantastic boujou magic!"

Nick Bolton, chief Executive at OMG said: "It's great to hear talent like Mark Breakspear speak so enthusiastically about our product. We are incredibly proud of how highly regarded boujou is within the industry. Mark and his team have done a fantastic job on Tropic Thunder and I can't wait to see it."

About boujou
Launched in 2001, boujou (boo-zhoo) was the first fully automated camera calibration and tracking system. Using advanced adaptive algorithms developed from vision science research, the application removes previous limitations on what is achievable in effects production by allowing 3D professionals to derive complex camera tracks and calibration data from film and video material automatically without the need for manual tracking input.

boujou has made a major contribution to high-profile television and film productions, music videos and commercials by facilitating the creation of visual effects that seamlessly combine live action and 3D. In 2002, 2d3 was awarded with a Primetime Emmy Engineering Award for boujou, which is also used for games development, architectural visualization and industrial design projects.

boujou 4.1runs under Windows, Mac OSX and Linux, silver bullet and bullet SD run under on Windows and Mac OSX under standard PC hardware.

About Oxford Metrics Group
Oxford Metrics (LSE: OMG) is a group of technology companies producing image understanding solutions for the entertainment, defence, life science and engineering industries. Be it for capturing the movements of actors (for the movie industry), sportsmen (for video games or improving team performance), children with Cerebral Palsy, rehab patients and animals (for medical, life science and research industries) or virtual reality displays (for engineering and development), the Group has the world leading market position and a strong international reputation for precision instruments.

Founded in 1984, the Group's headquarters are in Oxford, UK, and has offices in California and Colorado, USA. It has customers in over 50 countries and is a quoted company listed on AIM, a market operated by the London Stock Exchange. The Group trades through three operating subsidiaries - Vicon, the world's biggest motion capture and movement analysis company, 2d3, a manufacturer of specialised image understanding software for entertainment and defence applications and YottaDCL, our 3D mapping business.

Oxford Metrics' global clients in science, medicine, sport, engineering, gaming, film and broadcast include major hospitals and research facilities such as Guy's Hospital, Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre and Loughborough University, engineering industry leaders including Ford Motor Company, BMW, Airbus, Caterpillar, and Toyota, and in the entertainment sector, Sony, Industrial Light and Magic, The Moving Picture Company (MPC), Sega, Nintendo, UbiSoft, EA, Square Enix and many others.

For more information about OMG and its subsidiaries, visit www.omg3d.com, www.vicon.com, www.2d3.com or www.yotta.tv.

About CIS
CIS Visual Effects Group is an award winning international visual effects entity with facilities in Hollywood and Vancouver. The company services high-end feature film, television, commercial and gaming clients in the global marketplace. CIS Hollywood, founded in 1984, is one of the industry's most respected visual effects facilities. In early 2008, the company expanded by acquiring Rainmaker Visual Effects, rebranding it CIS Vancouver. With its boutique accessibility, the company has the capacity to service its clientele wherever production is situated. CIS Visual Effects Group is a division of Deluxe Entertainment Services Group Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of MacAndrews & Forbes Holdings Inc. www.cishollywood.com

Press contact:
Hayley Roberts / Sean Fleming
Clarity Public Relations
Tel: 0118 946 9260
Email: press@claritypr.co.uk